2016-17 AEESP Distinguished Lecturer

2016-17 AEESP Distinguished Lecture Series

About Professor Elimelech: Menachem (Meny) Elimelech is the Roberto Goizueta Professor at the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at Yale University. Professor Elimelech received his BS and MS degrees from the Hebrew University in Israel and PhD from Johns Hopkins University in 1989. His research is in the area of physicochemical and membrane processes at the water-energy nexus. Professor Elimelech has received numerous awards in recognition of his research and mentoring. Notable among these are his election to the National Academy of Engineering in 2006, the Eni Prize for ‘Protection of the Environment’ in 2015, and the Clarke Prize in 2005.Webpage: http://www.yale.edu/env/elimelech/bio.html

Professor Elimelech will present two lectures in the 2016-2017 Tour:

Lecture 1: The Global Challenge for Water Supply: Is Seawater Desalination a Sustainable Solution?

Abstract: "Water scarcity is one of the greatest global crises that we currently face. In recent years, numerous large-scale seawater desalination plants have been built in water-scarce countries to augment available water resources, and construction of new desalination plants is expected to increase significantly in the near future. Despite the major advancements in reverse osmosis desalination technology, the production of freshwater by seawater desalination is still more energy-intensive than conventional technologies for the treatment of freshwater sources. Furthermore, there are concerns about the environmental impacts of desalination and uncertainty about the potential effects on the marine environment. This presentation will review the energy efficiency, the state of the technology, and the environmental challenges of seawater desalination. A discussion will be presented on the possible reductions in energy demand by state-of-the art seawater desalination technologies; the potential role of advanced materials and innovative technologies in improving energy use, reliability, and environmental impact of seawater desalination; and the sustainability of desalination as a technological solution to global water shortages."

Abstract: "Water scarcity is one of the greatest global crises of our time. Increasing water supply beyond what is obtainable from the hydrological cycle can be achieved by seawater desalination and wastewater reuse. Highly effective, low-cost, robust technologies for desalination and wastewater reuse are needed, with minimal impact on the environment. Recent advances in the science and technology of desalination and wastewater reuse will be presented, focusing on membrane-based processes. Major developments in these technologies are possible due to recent advances in materials science, nanotechnology, and the fundamental understanding of the solid-water interface. In this presentation, we will show how we can exploit novel nanomaterial and polymer architectures to develop better approaches to design and fabricate membranes. By integrating the facile processability, light-weight, and low-cost features of organic polymers with functionality provided by inorganic nanostructures, we can develop a new membrane materials platform with applications in desalination and wastewater reuse. Among the examples that will be discussed in this presentation are the development of antifouling membranes, biofouling-resistant membranes, and next-generation membranes that overcome inherent limitations of existing technologies."

AEESP Distinguished Lecture Series | Fall/Spring 2016-17

Date

University

Contact

FALL 2016

September 16

Clemson UniversityUniversity of South Carolina (co-host)Benedict College (co-host)UNC-Charlotte (co-host)